Magic & Spellcraft Library

Normally if it feels right to do, it is. Cleanse crystals and items before and after each use, new items, and also if the crystal or item has been kept in a negative environment or unused for long periods of time. Cleanse for as long as you feel is right, normally between 10 minutes and three days.

All the methods here can be used to cleanse both crystals and magical items, although some metals, minerals and organics are soluble, friable or can fade in sunlight, so use your own judgement and knowledge about your item or crystal to choose the right method.

Element Cleansing:
If you can identify the item with an element, according to your tradition or view, you can select the corresponding element cleansing technique. Crystals will benefit from any cleansing technique, however, each type of crystal corresponds to an element, so you may wish to cleanse according to it's correspondence, for example, Fire cleansing for Fire Agate. Depending on your tradition, element correspondences may differ for your tools, however you might wish to follow this useful little correspondence table to find the appropriate method of cleansing for your magical item:

Earth - Pentacle
Air (or Fire) - Wand/Staff
Fire (or Air) - Sword/Athame
Water – Chalice/Cup/Cauldron

Water Cleansing – Water
Hold the crystal or item under running water and keep the intent that the negative energy within is dissolved and transmuted by the water. This method is only suitable for non-friable, non-soluble crystals and items, so ensure you check information about your crystal or item in advance.

Smudge Cleansing – Air
To cleanse using the ancient smudging technique you will need an herb or incense bundle. Light this bundle and then blow out the flame, allowing it to smoulder for a few minutes. Once the energy and aroma is being released steadily, pass the smoke over the crystal or item , holding the intent to dissolve and transmute negative energy and stagnant vibrations. If you do not transmute this energy, you may wish to disperse it instead through an open window.

Incense and Oils - Air
Pass the smoke over the item, or pass the item through the scent (e.g. Over an oil burner), or anoint the item with oil or incense paste (check the item will not be damaged by the oil in advance).

Earth Cleansing – Earth
By burying the crystal or item in earth, you will allow mother earth to transmute and transform all negative, stagnant or harmful energies within the crystal or item. Earth will re-align, cleanse and nurture the crystal. The earth needs to be non-acidic (to prevent erosion of the stone or item) and items need to be water proof if you are planning to retrieve them at a later date. If you are burying the crystal or item out of doors make sure you mark its position.

Moon Cleansing - Water
Place the item in moonlight during a full moon and ask the moon to cleanse it.

Solar Cleansing - Fire
Place the item in sunlight and ask the sun to cleanse it, preferably at midday.

Feather Cleansing – Air
Pass the feather over the item and focus on removing negative energy and patterns. A light flick downwards into the earth at the end sends negative energy to the earth for transmutation.

Fire Cleansing – Fire
By passing the crystal or item quickly through a flame (for obvious reasons any items need to be non-flammable), or surrounding it with four tea lights, you allow grandfather energy to disperse negativity and disharmony within the stone or item.. Many people find this cleansing is dynamic and fairly quick acting.

Flower and Petal Cleansing
To cleanse using this nurturing and gentle technique, first select the colour of the flower or petals, using your intuition, attraction or dowsing to find a colour that is right for the crystal or item. Place the petals or flowers into a clear glass container and leave the crystal or item covered by the flowers/petals for a minimum of 24 hours.

Herbs

Herb washes or anointing will also remove negative energy, but is not suitable for soluble items and minerals, or item which will stain.

Rice Cleansing
Place uncooked brown rice into a clear glass bowl or container and put the crystals or items into the rice, leave for a minimum of 24 hours to cleanse. Since the rice will have absorbed the negative energy from the crystals, do not eat the rice, and dispose of it safely.

Sound Cleansing
This is a form of vibration cleansing. There are lots of instruments that can be used to create sounds suitable to cleanse crystals or items with, these include: gongs, ting-shaws, drums, rattles and singing bowls. By playing these instruments and allowing the sound to spread over the crystals or items , negative energy can be transmuted and cleansed.

Salt - Earth
Depending on the item, wash or anoint the object with a salt water solution. Alternatively lay the item on a dry bed of salt overnight. The salt method can only be used for water proof and non friable minerals and items, careful to avoid permanent damage.

Toning
Meditation mantras are a quick and easy way to cleanse crystals or items, since they bring a strong energy vibration to the crystals and to the person meditating. Mantras are efficient in cleansing the chakras and aura as well as the room and any items present. Tones need to be pitched correctly.

Crystal Cleansing
A safe way to charge and cleanse is to place the crystal or item on top of a cluster (particularly amethyst). The energies within the cluster will distribute through your crystal or item and cleanse/recharge it. This method is particularly good for use with tumble stones, although placing softer stones or items on a hard crystal bed may cause scratching.

Black Crystal Cleansing
Keep a black crystal in physical contact with the magical item, or in a pouch with the item, overnight or longer if desired. Cleanse the crystal after use.

Charging Items and Crystals.
(energising)

Sunshine . Storm Energy . Moonlight . Starlight . Earth Energy . Water . Fire . Colour . Angel Energy . Reiki . Karuna

Energising or charging items and crystals brings the full power and energy of the item or stone to the fore, filling it with the magical or spiritual energy needed for healing and spell work.

Over time items and crystals can lose their charge, especially if they have remained unused for long periods, or alternatively have been overused without charging.

However, items and crystals can sometimes be overcharged too. Crystals especially will rarely need charging every time they are used; a suggestion might be once for every ten or so uses, or once per lunar month for regularly used items. You may also wish to charge items with a specific energy suitable for your spell or your healing purpose. When you get to know your crystals or items well, you will notice loss of power or energy when it occurs.

Sunshine
To recharge a tired crystal or item, place it in some lovely bright sunshine for a while. Ruby, Garnet, Sunstone and Gold particularly enjoy the sunlight. Sunlight is associated with fire, personal power, ambition, intellectual activity, combustion, anger, joy, expansion, movement and the masculine force of yang, and crystals or items placed in sunlight will be charged with these properties. This method is excellent for most crystals and items, although stones such as Amethyst and Citrine, as well as certain items, can fade in sunlight so it is worth checking first.

Storm Energy
Place the crystal or item outside in a powerful thunder or rainstorm and give it time there to give it a boost. Storm energy brings together earth, air, wind, water and fire. This type of charging brings balance and calm to chaos and disharmony. Again, although excellent for use with most crystals and waterproof items, check into your crystal or item first to ensure it is not soluble. Some stones, such as Sodalite or Angelite, may dissolve on their surfaces when in contact with water and lose their lustre. Moldavite and Tektite particularly benefit from storm energy and are not soluble.

Moonlight
Place crystals or items in the moonlight on a full moon to charge them, and this will imbue them with the feminine energies of liquid, calm, yin, intuitive, still, mysterious and hidden knowledge. Crystals and items that benefit especially from this type of charging are Moonstone, Labradorite, Pearl, Snow Quartz and Mother of Pearl and scrying tools. Silver items also particularly benefit.

Starlight
Starlight is cosmic awareness, universal energy, brightness and expansiveness, wishing and wish fulfilment. A crystal or item can be charged with these qualities if placed in starlight. The stars can have an excellent effect on crystals such as Moldavite and Iolite, and starlight is useful in charging magical items to be used in cosmic consciousness work and also to charge tools for wish fulfilment spells.

Earth Energy
Bury the crystal or item in the earth and in addition to receiving cleansing, it will charge slowly and gradually. This method connects the crystal or item to the energies of gravity, physical energy, preservation, grounding and deep healing. Working with a crystal or item charged with earth energy, will bring abundance, strength, and a connection to your roots. Items charged in this way will help with feelings of being disconnected or confused. Earth energy will bring any and all energies back into balance; for overcharging see the note below.

Water
Water energy is associated with emotions, cleansing and tears. The crystal or item is held under water, or in running water, until it recovers a strong vibration. Intuition will tell you when the process is complete. Items must be waterproof. Tumble stones respond well to water charging as do any items to be used in letting go, releasing or waning moon spells.

Fire
Fire energy is associated with personal power, heat, ambition, intellectual activity, combustion, anger, joy, laughter, expansion, transformation, movement and the masculine yang. Crystals and items charged with this energy will receive energy similar to the properties of sunlight. Charging by fire is done by lighting a candle or flame and asking for these healing energies to be absorbed by the crystal or item. Surround items with a ring of tea lights, or for non combustible items, pass them through a flame. Agate, Opal and Sunstone particularly benefit from fire energy charging as do any items to be used in empowerment, change, growth, success and power spells.

Colour
Each colour is unique in its energy vibration. Hold the crystal or item in the prayer position and meditate on the colour required, visualising the crystal or item radiating that colour. A candle of the appropriate colour will help with focus.

Angel Energy
To charge your magical item or crystal with angel energy, simply hold in your left hand and make an affirmation to your angels for their healing energies to be placed upon and within the crystal and give thanks once this is done. Angel energy brings protection, hope, warmth, love, compassion, universal energies and guidance to the energetic charge.

Reiki
If a Reiki Master has attuned you, simply hold the cleansed crystal or item at the heart chakra, attune to Reiki and meditate on the particular energy you wish to bring in.

Karuna
Finally crystals may be energised with Karuna energy. This is the energy of compassionate action and the item or crystal is charged by being held in the prayer position at the heart chakra whilst meditating on the energy of compassion for all things.

*Note on Overcharging: if a crystal or item becomes overcharged, earth burial is in my view the only method to use. Earth will bring the energies and charge of the crystal or item back into balance slowly and gradually over time. Where there is a lack of energy, earth will gradually rectify this, where there is too much energy, earth will balance it out, restoring natural vibration. There is no quick fix for overcharging. You may need to leave the item or crystal buried for several months or more before balance is restored. Place any soluble or friable items or crystals in waterproof bags or containers and bury in non-acidic soil.

Cleansing Yourself and Your Space.

Sage . Feather . Crystal Wand . Black Crystals . Music . Incense. Salt. Herbs

Cleansing is a natural method for removing negative energy from the physical body and the energy system. Cleansing also creates a peaceful and sacred space and environment, a blank canvass, perfect for meditation, healing and spell craft.

Cleansing is any method that alters or drives out certain energy frequencies. Methods include water, aroma, texture, sound, salt plus intention.

Here are some methods you can try, some you might have tried, some might be new.

Sage Smudging

Cleansing with a Sage smudge stick (a bundle of sage available from herbal, alternative and magic stores) provides a quick and easy method of cleansing that can be performed prior to spell casting. The technique is very effective.

Yourself: Light the smudge stick, blow out the flame, and pass the smoke from your crown slowly down to your feet, holding the intention to send negative energy into the earth for transmutation. At the feet give a slight downward flick to send the energy down and out of the body.

Your Space: Light the smudge stick, and blow out the flame. Start at the door or entranceway to your space and walk anti-clockwise around the room with the smoke until you reach the entranceway again. You might want to do this three times. Give a slight flick out of the door, holding the intention to remove negative energy from the space. You can also charge the energy of your space using the sage at the same time, holding the intention to charge and protect the space for magical working as you walk around.

Feather

A feather will cleanse the energy system, items and your space. Pass the feather over your body, over your item, or around the room, I like to give a flick towards the earth at the end and ask the earth to transform the energy.

Crystal Wand

Hold a large clear crystal wand in your projective hand and stand in the centre of the area. Focus on sending cleansing energy out through the wand and into your space. This is a very powerful space cleansing method because negative energy is instantly transformed. You may notice a change in the 'texture' of the air in the space, or experience a feeling of lightness. Clear quartz is excellent for use, or otherwise the very pure, light energy of a Selenite wand. You may also wish to try this technique using a wand made of other materials, or with your athame, holding the intention to cleanse.

Black Tourmaline or Black Crystals

Your Self: Pass the crystal from the crown to the feet in the same way as the smudging technique. Carry or wear for continual cleansing and protection. Cleanse the crystal after use using another method.

Your Space: Place a crystal in your environment and leave for a few days, or permanently if desired, cleansing the crystal regularly and after use with another method.

Note: Black crystals absorb negative energy from you, your items and your environment, cleanse regularly (see crystal and item cleansing below).

Bells, rattles, drums, tingshaws (tingsha), didjeridoo, chanting etc.

Your self: Play the instrument, or chant, holding the strong intention to transmute negative energy within your body and energy system. Allow your body and mind to release tension and negativity.

Your space: Open the windows and play a musical instrument to to clear out negative energy. Alternatively, play a portable instrument, as you walk anti-clockwise around the room, starting and ending at the entranceway, or ring a bell at the four corners.

Incense and Aroma

Cleansing oils and incense will cleanse both you and your space.

Your Self: Pass the smoke over your body using the smudging technique, or sit close by the incense or oil burner, allowing your system to release negativity until your energy has been cleansed and transmuted. Provided you have done a skin patch test, you might wish to anoint yourself with essential oil instead.

Your Space: Light the incense or burner and allow the room to fill with scent, before opening windows to let out any negative energy.

Salt

Your Self: Take a salt bath to remove negative energy from your body and energy system and cleanse your aura. Alternatively, walk along the beach and breathe in the salty air.

Your Space: Wash any areas prone to collect negative energy with salt water regularly (avoid soluble or friable surfaces/fabrics/materials).

Herbs

Herb baths and herb washes will also remove negative energy. You can bathe yourself or wash your space in a herb and water infusion. You're welcome to share any washes or herb recipes that work for you.

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